In July, my main referral source, “John,” for my regular business suddenly and unexpectedly retired. My regular business involves working with people with disabilities and finding them jobs. It pays for my writing workshops and classes.

I started my business in 2005 on credit cards. I was really poor for the first two years. I went on food stamps. I scraped and scraped and scraped. Some days I barely had enough money to put gas in my car to drive out to the the suburbs to see my clients. I drive a lot for my job.

Things turned around when I started working with “John” in 2007. He helped me keep my business afloat. He fed me referrals when the evil corporation tried to take over in 2010 and I straight out quit working for the evil lady and had no back up plan.

He helped me get my business back up and running.

After he retired in July I was left wondering what would happen to my business? Would I have to close up shop? I had a moment of panic. Instead, like I normally do, time and time again, I rallied. I started reaching out to every referral source I have and started letting them know I was actively taking on new clients. I worked and worked and worked extra hard. I am a survivor. Maybe it’s the time of year? I start looking back at how things went in 2013. What worked and what didn’t work?

The things that worked: buying a house, getting a new car, adding fun things to my life, continuing to write no matter what happens in my life, evolving/changing my business, and more travel…

The things that didn’t work: working all the time and my relationship with the boyfriend/non-boyfriend

I don’t know where “John” is now. I don’t have any way to contact him. To tell him I’m so grateful he saved my bacon all those years.

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2 Responses to Re-invention/New Year

I think we all have this person in our lives, after all some people are only with us for a season, right? In college I met a nice lady, Ms. Ann, through the local church I attended. She was super nice and sweet to me — and had no reason to, she didn’t know me from a can of paint. On Sundays after church, I’d eat dinner at her house while I did my laundry. Today, I have no idea where she is but would love the opportunity to thank her. Thank God for the Johns and Anns of the world.